6 Weeks to Love
by Janyx XVII
Summary: Lana Greenwood arrived in London for her best friend's wedding way too early. After finding her boyfriend cheating, she vows to never love again. But fate has other plans when Jack Howard comes into her life. Can Jack break the walls around her heart? OCxJack Howard. Rated T for suggestive...ness.
1. Week One: Sunday

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author of this story. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any previously copyrighted material. No copyright infringement is intended.**

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Lana Greenwood quickly walked out of the airport doors into the London air and took a breath.

'I finally made it,' thought Lana, as she hurried to the line of taxis waiting.

After a twelve hour flight, nothing sounds more enjoyable than a long bath. Lana, with the help of her driver, packed her luggage in the backseat.

"Where to, miss?" ask the taxi driver, as they both settled into their seats.

Lana gave him the address on the envelope in her hand. The taxi pulled away from the curb and into the airport traffic. Though she would have liked to start snapping pictures, she wasn't ready to put the envelope down, or be considered a typical tourist.

The name Alexander Birmingham was quickly scratched above the address she had given the driver. It was hard to believe that it had been three years since she had seen him. He was one of the reasons she had braved an airplane here. The other being her best friend, and Alex's younger brother, James was getting married in six weeks. She was supposed to be here in another two weeks, but she didn't want to wait anymore. She had thought about calling but surprises were always better.

Her necklace shift and she, unconsciously, placed her hand on the ring that rested on her heart. Three years had been too long to have seen either of them but Alex had sworn, when he came to college in London, they would get married after he graduated.

Thought they were the same age, at five-years-old, James was the cool boy who would play house and dolls with her while Alex, then eight-years-old, was the big meanie that always teased her about being ugly, pushed her, and hid her toys from her. While she was in 2nd grade, he had even cut a big chunk of her hair off, just because the other boys wanted to see her cry more. For Lana that was the day she learned never to cry or show pain in public. Alex's parents had grounded him for two months.

The years from 3rd grade to middle school were bliss for Lana. She got to see James every day and not have to worry about Alex being up to any of his tricks. She would visit, or stay the night at the James's house only to hear that Alex would be off somewhere friends. "I don't want to be around when a noisy girl is in the house," is what Lana was told he would say. That sat just fine with Lana. But as time went on, and puberty hit, Lana knew it wouldn't be too long before she had to see Alex again in high school.

Lana smiled to herself. The memory of seeing Alex's reaction when she walked across the auditorium to James had made all the years under his torture worth it. Before they went to join the rest of the 9th graders, Lana had turned to him and said "Suck it", leaving him, and his friends, with dumbfounded faces. Three months later, Lana and Alex had gone on their first date.

It didn't make sense to Lana either but there it was. Alex had even confessed to liking her since elementary. They continued to date up until her graduation three years later. During those years, Alex had attended a community college then decided to transfer to London. Before he left, Alex had given her the ring and asked that they get married after his graduation.

Originally, James had wanted to travel the world fresh out of high school. "I don't want to be tied down just yet," he had said. Lana giggled again. If only she could go back to that moment and say, "Says the guy who is going to find his soul mate the moment he steps out of the airport on his first stop."

Lana had been floored when James called her to say he was staying in London. He had fallen in love with the handsome British ballroom dancer named Charles Hayward. Love at first sight he had said. At first Lana was worried, but after a few calls, Skyping and messaging, she wished him the best and now they were to be married in six weeks.

"Almost there, miss," said the taxi driver.

Lana came out of her thoughts and looked around. Identical houses lined either side of the street. She shoved the envelope into her purse. The taxi pulled up in front of the house second from the end and Lana, so much in her excitement, paid the taxi driver and ran from the car to the door.

Lana heard the cries of the driver but she ignored them as she searched a nearby bush for the spare key Alex said would be there for her when she arrived. She hoped that he had put it out there when she had called him a few days ago. "You might be busy later, just do it now. That way you won't have to worry about it," She had urged.

Success! She quickly opened the door but stopped dead in her tracks as she stared down the hallway to the kitchen. There was Alex. With his back to the door and his pants around his knees, pounding into a girl, who was screaming for more.

Sick. She felt sick.

"Oi!" yelled the driver, starting up the walkway.

She didn't turn to the driver but Alex did and the look on his face turned from pleasure to horror.

Lana let out a sigh, locked the door from the inside of the house, and placed the key on the side table before slamming the door and heading back to the taxi.

"Look, I don't car-" the taxi driver began, carrying her bags.

"I'm sorry to inconvenience you but could you please take me somewhere else?" Lana said, passing the driver, not waiting for an answer.

The driver started to fuss again but stopped when the front door to the house opened.

"Lana, wait!"

Lana took the bags from the driver, tossed them in the taxi and got in. The driver hurried to his seat.

"Where to?" the driver asked.

"Anywhere but here, please," she managed before her throat closed up.

As, they pulled away, she ignored the shouting and banging on the taxi from Alex and focused on not thinking about the emotions she wanted to lash out. This was only her first day in London and already it was turning into a nightmare.


	2. Week One: Sunday Evening

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author of this story. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any previously copyrighted material. No copyright infringement is intended.**

**A/N: My challenge to you. If you want to know how I structure the time line. Make a chart labeled from Sun-Sat across the top and Weeks 1-6 down the side. Box them off and you can fill it in as we go.**

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Lana's head rested on the window as the lights of the city went by. The driver had offered to take her to a hotel but she asked him to stop at a payphone. After a few tries, James answered.

"Lana?! Thank God. Are you ok? Where are you?" James asked, panicked and speaking a mile a minute.

She looked around. "I'm somewhere downtown, I think."

"You think?! What do you see? I'm coming to get you, just stay there."

"No!" she said, almost yelling. "I'm ok. I'm going to get a room."

"The hell you are. No. Come here. You can stay with me," he insisted.

"I don't think—"

"Lana. I've had to listen to Alex every ten minutes for the past two hours asking about you."

A chuckle escaped her lips. "I'm surprised he cares."

James sighed. "Lana, I don't know what happened but please come to my place. You don't need to put out the money for a hotel. I won't tell Alex either. If he calls, I'll tell him you are staying at a hotel."

She knew he was right. If she put out extra money to stay in a room, she wouldn't be able to last long. She had originally planned to stay with…

'Nope, nope,' she scolded herself wiping at the tears that threatened to fall.

"Lana?" James pleaded.

"Give me the address."

When she got back in the taxi, she gave the address to the driver. Lost in her thoughts of Alex, she didn't notice when the taxi stopped in front of the apartment complex.

"Miss?" asked the driver.

Lana looked at the driver then back at the building. "Yes, sorry," she said, fighting tears and rummaging through her purse.

She paid the taxi driver and stepped out. Slinging her purse on her shoulder, she reached in for the rolling suitcase and duffle bag.

"If you ever need a private driver, please call this number," the driver said, passing her a card and change as she lifted out her last bag. She looked at the change and the meter before looking at the driver.

"I gave you a flat rate."

Lana hesitated for a moment but took the card and change. "Thank you," she said, then closed the door.

Moving to the door, she punched in code, entered while it buzzed, and took a second to stand in the lobby. The door to the stairs stood off to the left and the out of order elevators to the right.

'This just isn't my day,' she thought, slinging the duffle bag on to the suitcase.

Lana opened the stairwell door and started her ascent to the top floor of the eight story apartment building. With each landing she reached, the realization of the situation at Alex's apartment hit her. Whether he had been cheating on her from the moment she had agreed to marry him or longer didn't worry her. But how she could so easily let herself fall for him in the first place? Knowing Alex all these years, she should never have expected him to change. Why didn't she know better? Rumor had often spread about Alex being unfaithful the moment he left high school. Thought to be just that, Lana never listened. He had always seemed to take extra time to spend with her whether he was busy or not.

Lana shook her head. That wasn't right. Alex would only take time to spend with her if it was to go to a party at his friends. Other than that, she would only see him when she went to visit James. Even then, he would be hanging out with his friends. If they went on a date, they would always run into a "friend that's a girl". Lana stopped on the 7th floor landing. Her vision blurred but she didn't blink.

'So, I've been on cloud nine this whole time?' she thought, whipping away the tears that still threatened to fall. 'Typical.'

Taking a deep breath, she run full speed up one of the two remaining flight of stairs but came up short as she ran face first into someone. She felt herself falling backwards and released the bags, reached for the railing but her hands slipped.

"Shit," she heard before a strong grip clamped down on her wrist and pulled.

Lana, fell forward onto the body she ran into as her feet slipped on the stairs. For a moment, Lana laid there waiting for everything else bad to happen. If she was being targeted by some un-luck demon then let the little devil just lash out at her now and get it over with. But nothing happened. She a hand resting on her shoulder and wanted to push it away but couldn't.

'Warm,' she thought.

"Are you alright?"

Lana looked up into a set of green eyes. She sat up and winced, rubbing her ribs.

"What's wrong?" asked green eyes.

Lana turned away. "I'm fine."

Green eyes got up and then reached down to Lana. She thought about ignoring him but just sighed and let him help her up onto the landing.

He was slightly taller that she was. His brown blonde dyed hair in a quiff. He wore a leather jacket, "Fac-e-book" t-shirt, jeans and boots.

"I'm really sorry. Are you sure you're alright?" he asked.

Lana managed a smile. "Really, I'm ok. I wasn't looking where I was going."

She could tell she wasn't convincing but he nodded. They looked down the steps and Lana rubbed her face at the sight. The suit case was on the landing below along with the duffle bag but the contents of her purse were scattered everywhere. A piece had even managed to balance itself on the step just before the other flight of steps.

"Could this day get any worse?" she asked.

"I'm sure it could," said green eyes. "But I'm not that bad, am I?"

Lana giggled.

He smiled at her. "There. A real smile."

She stopped and looked at him. 'He's not…,' she let the thought trial off, descending the stairs. They worked silently to retrieve all the items and put them back in her purse. When she reached for her bags, he took them from her.

"I'll help you carry these."

Lana reached for them. "That's ok."

He stepped back. "It's fine. Besides, you must have hurt your ankle; you're limping."

The dull pain in her ribs made her rub then again. She had hoped that he wouldn't notice her foot but she caught him looking at her rub her ribs.

"Fine," she sighed.

He motioned for her to go ahead. As they slowly made their way up the stairs, Lana noticed that he walked right beside her. When she took a second to rest her ankle, he put his arm behind her to keep her from falling back.

'Did all English guys act like this?' she wondered. They exited the stairs and stopped at the door closest to the elevator.

"Wait, are you Lana?" he asked as she knocked on the door.

Lana went to answer him but the door swung open. She locked eyes with James. His dark brown eyes staring into her own. She felt the tears again but didn't hold them back this time. James engulfed her in a hug. She buried her face into James's skinny frame, trying to stifle the sound of her crying.

"It's ok, Lana," he cooed, rubbing her back lightly. "I'm here."

Lana hugged him back as hard as she could without fear of breaking him. He ushered her into the apartment, he briefly murmured a thanks to green eyes, before moving her deeper into the apartment. But before the apartment door closed them in she heard the faint click of the stairwell door shutting. Green eyes was gone and she had forgotten to thank him.

'Later,' she silently hoped as she held on to James and let the events of today catch up to her.


End file.
